Hairline fracture on SeaRiver North Slope causes sheen at Valdez - October 28, 2000

Providing coverage of Alaska and northern Canada's oil and gas industryOctober 2000

Vol. 5, No. 10

Week of October 28, 2000

Hairline fracture on SeaRiver North Slope causes sheen at Valdez

Petroleum News Alaska Staff

After a crew member of the SeaRiver North Slope observed a light sheen within the boom Oct. 23 at 9:13 a.m., the tanker, which was being de-boomed for departure, was re-boomed and an investigation initiated.

Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. said that inspection of the vessel by divers revealed a hairline fracture eight to 10 inches in length at the turn of the bilge of the No. 5 starboard cargo tank. The U.S. Coast Guard ordered the tank emptied to stop the release of oil.

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation said it was notified at 9:15 a.m. The vessel had been loaded with 1,040,000 barrels of ANS crude. Sheen that was observed within the boom was collected using a skimmer and sorbent sweep.

Observations from ADEC personnel on-scene indicated a drop of crude oil surfacing every 30 seconds near the vessel, the agency said.

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